Safety of the treatment for voluntary pregnancy termination by gestational age. Medellín, Colombia, 2013-2014
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18597/rcog.3267Keywords:
Therapeutic abortion, congenital abnormalities, sexual abuse, high risk pregnancy, mental healthAbstract
Objective: To describe the safety of medical and surgical treatments used in women seeking voluntary pregnancy termination.
Materials and methods: Historical cohort of pregnant women with up to 26 weeks of gestation who received treatment for voluntary pregnancy termination in a referral institution in Medellín, Colombia, between January 2013 and December 2014. Sampling was consecutive. Measured variables included sociodemographic and obstetric variables, undesired effects, and complications of the voluntary pregnancy termination treatment. A descriptive analysis was carried out.
Results: Overall, 87 women were included. The mean age at the time of termination was 24 years (inter-quartile range [IQR] = 12), 69.0% were single, and 73,4% were unemployed. The main reason for termination was the risk to the mother’s health in 61,0% of cases, followed by a history of sexual violence in 26.4% and fetal malformations in 12.6%; a total of 70 women (80,4%) had less than 17 weeks of gestation and were treated with misoprostol plus manual vacuum aspiration; 17 (19,6%) had between 18 and 26 weeks of gestation and were treated with misoprostol followed by dilation and curettage. The first group (gestational age < 18 weeks) experienced undesired effects such as pain and vomiting; in the second group (< 18 weeks), 41.0% of the women experienced hemorrhage.
Conclusions: The risk to the mother’s health was the main reason for the termination of pregnancy. Termination before 18 weeks was found to be safe, while termination between 18 and 26 weeks using misoprostol and curettage was associated with a high frequency of hemorrhage.
Author Biographies
Diana Patricia Restrepo-Bernal, Universidad CES
Alejandro Colonia-Toro, Universidad CES, Hospital General de Medellín
Marle Duque-Giraldo, Práctica privada
Psiquiatra de Enlace; MSc en Epidemiología. Medellín (Colombia).
Catalina Hoyos-Zuluaga, Clínica del CES, Medellín-Colombia
Vanesa Cruz-Osorio, Clínica Amiga, Medellín-Colombia
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